A federal judge in Virginia has extended a court-ordered block on the Trump administration’s creation and operation of a $1.8 billion settlement fund for compensating people who claim to be victims of a weaponized government. The fund was established to resolve President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns.
Background
The Trump administration created the fund to compensate individuals who claim to have been targeted by the government. However, the plan has faced fierce bipartisan backlash, with many arguing that the government cannot legally divert taxpayer money into what they argue is a slush fund for compensating the president’s allies.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress earlier this month that the government is scrapping its plans for the fund. Despite this, plaintiffs’ attorneys are not satisfied with Blanche’s assurances that the fund won’t move forward, and U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema has ruled that the fund will remain blocked until further notice from the court.
The judge has given the parties a week to negotiate an agreement for Blanche to submit a sworn declaration that the administration won’t revive the fund. This comes after a different judge in Washington, D.C. rejected a government watchdog’s parallel request for a court order temporarily blocking the Trump administration from forging ahead with the fund.
Implications
The ruling has implications for the Trump administration’s plans to compensate individuals who claim to have been targeted by the government. The administration has argued that the fund is necessary to provide relief to those who have been harmed, but opponents argue that it is an abuse of power and a waste of taxpayer money.
The case is being closely watched by conservatives and supporters of President Trump, who see the fund as a way to hold the government accountable for its actions. However, others argue that the fund is a partisan attempt to reward the president’s allies and undermine the rule of law.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
